Pandemic Had Motivated Older Adults to Discuss Care Planning, Shows Survey

Data from the National Poll on Healthy Aging suggests the pandemic has motivated many older adults to discuss and document their care wishes, reports News-Medical . Generally, 59 percent of the 50- to 80-year-olds surveyed said they had talked with loved ones about their preferences in case they became severely ill, compared to 70 percent among those over 65. Only 7 percent said COVID-19 had prompted such conversations. In terms of documenting their preferences in a legally binding way that can guide families and care teams, 46 percent of respondents said they had completed at least one of two legal documents that could help their loved ones make decisions for them if they are unable to do it for themselves. One-third of the 7 percent of older adults who had completed medical durable powers of attorney and/or living wills said the pandemic had motivated them to do so. Yet this group comprised just 1 percent of the entire poll sample.